Grain drying and cooling apparatus



Dec. 2, 1924. 1,517,788

P. LITTLE` JR GRAIN DRYING AND COOLING APPARATUS original Filed sept. V26, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 9 52 33 GZ//g l I/S'' haar Dec, 2, 1924. 1,517,788

. i P. LITTLE, JR

GRAIN DRYING AND COOLING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 26,a192l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT1-onwil@ Patented Dec. 2, 192%,

Lawaai UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP LITTLE, JR., OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA., r-ISSIGNOR TO THE STRONG-SCOTT MANUFACTURING COMPNY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, .ll/IINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

GRAIN DRYING AND Original application iiled September 26, 1921, Serial No. 503,208.

Divided and this application filed March 27, 1924. Serial No. 702,333.

To all 'whom t may con-oem:

Be it known that I, PHILIP LITTLE, J r., a resident of Minneapolis. in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Drying and Cooling Apparatus, of which the following is a specilication. y

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for drying and cooling grain,

and the objects I have in view are to provide means for drying and cooling grain and simultaneously removing the dust therefrom and depositing the saine in a suitable dust collector or collectors.

The invention vconsists generally in means for removing` the dust from a body of grain while it is flowing through a drier, or a cooler, or a combined drier and cooler, and

depositing the same in a suitable dust collector or collectors.

The invention consists further in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings formingpart of this specification,

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention,

the section being taken on line 1--1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on linev 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section, partly broken away, on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similarto` Figure 1, the section being taken on line 4-4 of Fi ure 5, showing slightly modified construction;

Figure 5 is a ure 4;

Figure 6 is a section, partly broken away, on line 6-6 of Figure 4;

The present application is a division of my application for patent on grain drying' apparatus filed September 26, 1921, Serial No. 503,208, which has matured into Letters Patent No. 1,496,473, dated June 3rd, 1924.

In the drawings 10, 10, represents the side walls, 11, 11 the end walls, and 12 the door section on line 5-5 of Figof a preferable form of building or structure. rlhe space enclosed by these walls is preferably divided into upper chambers 15 and 60 and a lower chamber 15a.

lVith this arrangement there will be, shown in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6, a free space within the chambers 15 and 15 surrounding the heating and cooling sections of the casing.

I preferably provide, extending across the passages 19, a series of ducts 22 and 23, composed of perforated or screened material, open at one end and closed at the other, the open ends of the duct 22 being in com munication, through the outer walls of the casing', with the rooms 15 and 15a, and the vopen ends of the ducts 23 being in communication, through openings in the walls 24, with the air chambers 2O and 21.

I have shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of thev drawings, a fan 32EL arranged to be driven by any suitable means Aas through a motor 52, belt 53, motor pulley 54, fan pulley and fan shaft 51. rI`he fan is shown having l pipe connections 33a and 66a with the cooler and drying chambers 21 and 2O respectively. By the operation of this fan it will be seen that air is drawn from the chamber 15 through the ducts 22; from these ducts through the body of the grain into the duct-s 2S, and through the open ends of the duct 23 into the chamber 20. Similarly air is drawn from the chamber 15a through the ducts 22; from these ducts through the body of the grain in the ducts 23, and into the chamber 21. These air currents collect the dust from the passing body of grain and carry it to the fan, from whence it may be discharged through a suitable trunk 68a, into a dustcollector 34a having a discharge spout 38a (Figure 1). v

t will be seen that with this arrangement air is drawn through the body of grain descending through each ofthe passages 19, said air passing from the room 15 into the chamber 20, and thence through the pipe 66a to the fan 32a, or from the room 15a through the grain into the chamber 21, and thence through the connection 33aL to the fan 32a.

By this means the dust contained in the body of grain will be drawn into the inner Iii) chamber 20 or 2l, and thus removed from the grain to be thereafter blown into the dust collector 3d through the pipe 68a, Afrom which dust collector it is discharged through thepipe 38a.

I prefer to heat the air that passes from the room l5 through the grain to the chamber 20, thereby heating the grain sutiiciently to completely remove any moisture there from. For heatingv the air which passes throughl the drierl have shown a transverse partition or wall 63 arranged to 'torni a separate. room or compartment (Figures l, 2, 4 and 5), with an opening 62 arranged in thewall 637 and a trunl 6-jl arranged in this opening, and with suitable heating` coils 27 arrangedl in said trunk. r)The base provided with valves 'for the heating` coils is shownfat 1i' outside of the trunlr 64. any suitable means may be provided for heating the air passing through the trunk 641-.

The walls of the compartment 60 are providedwith suitable windows 61st) that air may bedrawn from outside of the building through' these windows, and, throngrh the trunk 64, past the heatingI coils 27. This heated air may then be circulated, in the manner described, through the descending grain to the tan. carrying the dust troni the grain with it into said fan, and from said fan into the dust collector.

As the air drawn through the vlower part of the casing; constituting` the cooler, is pre- Jfe'rably cool air drawn from the outside ot th`e`buildingI` thisv air may pass directly into the chamber 155.'y and thence, in the manner described through the descendinaV lerain into thel chamber 2l. From this Chamber the air? and the dust-taken out' of the grain with it. will be carried/ through the connection 33"? to the fan 32d. to be blown with the dust laden air taken out ofthe heating section oi'i the device to the dust collector.

I may also provide a separate fan as shown in Figure 4 for each section of the drier` and cooler.v ris here shown l have provided a fan 32 to draw the air through the coolingsection of the casing. and l have provided a separate fan 26 to draw the air through thedryingl section of the easing.

"here'shoivni the arrangement in core Iiefction'with the cooler is the same as that shown in'Finures '1, 2 andS ot the drawings,

. and the dust laden air is blown from the fan 32"to the'` dust collector 3st. through the pipe 36, and from this dust collector, here shown as of`- the cyclone type. the dust passes through an vofu'tlet pipe 38. p

I' have7 however, inthis instance, shown theftrunk 64 in which the heating coil 27 i'slocafted connected directly to the chamber y 20; .within the drier (Figures il and 5), while the connection 66, extending to the fan 26, iscOnneCt'ed' to the Wall of the chamber. A pipe 68 extends from the fan 26 to a dust collector 69, which is prete 1ably connected through a pipe 70 to the discharge pipe 3S from the other dust collector.

lWith this arrangement the heated air passes to the interior oi? the chamber 20. .lt passes outward through the ducts 2li and thon through the body of the grain to the ducts 22, which open into the chamber 15, from which the dust laden air is taken out by the fan through the conductor 66.

l also prefer to provide the compartment 60 of the chamber l5, and the chamber l5;l with suitable openings in their walls. pro vided with windows and shutters (il and 56, which may be opened more or les` as to regulate the inflow of air from the outside. By this means the air currents throufh the air chambers, and through the grain, may be regulated as desired.

l may provide both fans on a single fan shaft 5l, having a belt pulley 55. and said pulley may be rotated by means olE a belt :3i-l from a driving` motor 52 having a motor pulley 5-:i-.

l have shown in Figure l, means whereby the air may iirst pass into the room l5 surrounding the .Qjrain drier. andthen through the ducts extending: transversely oi; the ,'.rrain passages. and then to the interior air eha1nber 20. while in Figure Il; I have shown means for conducting' the heated air iirst to the interior o1 the chamber 20. and thence outwardly, across the grain passage, into the diyng chamber l5, and thence to the fan. l', may employ either of these constructions. l have shownin the present drawings. iu both illustrations, the cool air enteringr'the chamber 15 and iriassinp; from this room through the ducts across the grain passages to the interior of the chamber 221A and them-e to the lan. lf may, however, by connor-limi' the air inlet to the interior oiE the chamber 2l, and makingr the tan connection extendl mounted therein.v and having upper and lower air chambers; and vertical grain passages arranged between said chambers and said rooms, ot means for circulating' air through said rooms and chambers, and transversely through the grain in said `grain passages. whereby dust will be removed from the passing grain, and means for conducting the dust-laden air to dust-collecting means.

2. The combination, in an apparatus of the class described, with a drying room and a grain drier therein, and having an interior air chamber and vertical grain passages arranged between said air chamber and said room, of means for circulating air through said room and air chamber, and transversely through the grain in said grain passages, whereby dust will be removed from the passing grain, and means for conducting the dust-laden air to dust-collecting means,

3. The combination, in an apparatus of the class described, with a drying room and a grain drier mounted therein, and having an interior air chamber and vertical grain passages arranged between said chamber and said room, of means for circulating air through said room, and transversely through the grain, in said grain passage, into said air chamber, whereby dust will be removed Jfrom the passing grain, and means for conducting the dust-laden air from said air chamber to dust-collecting means.

4t. The combination, in an apparatus ot the class described, with a drying room and a grain drier mounted therein, and having an interior air chamber and vertical grain passages arranged between said air chamber and said room, of means for circulating heated air through said room and air chamber, and transversely through the grain in said grain passages, whereby the passing grain will be dried and dust will be removed therefrom, and means for conducting the dust-laden air to dust-collecting means.

5. The combination, in an apparatus of the class described, with drying and cooling rooms, and a grain drier and cooler mounted therein, and having upper and lower air chambers and vertical grain passages arranged between said chambers and said rooms, of means for circulating heated air through the drying room, and the corresponding air chamber, and transversely through the grain in the grain passages between said room and said chamber, and means for circulating cool air through the cooling room, and the corresponding air chamber and through the grain in the grain passages between said room and chamber, whereby the grain will first be dried and dust removed therefrom and will afterwards be cooled and additional dust removed therefrom as the grain moves through said grain passages, and means for conducting the dust-laden air to dust-collecting means.

6. An apparatus of the class described having drying and cooling rooms, a grain drier and cooler mounted therein provided with grain passages, upper and lower air chambers, and groups of ducts or openings arranged in said grain passages and comvmunicating respectively with said rooms and said air chambers, and means `for passing heated. air through said drying room and cooling air through said cooling room.

7. An Aapparatus of the class described having drying and cooling rooms and a.

grain drier and cooler mounted therein provided with vertical grain passages, and upper and lower air chambers, in combination with a fan and a dust collector, and means co-operating with said fan for passing heated air through said drier, and thereafter conducting said air to said dust col lector.

8. An apparatus of the class described comprising a grain drier and cooler provided with vertical grain passages and air chambers, in combination with a fan and dust collector, and means cooperating with said fan for passing cooling air through said cooler and thereafter conducting said air to said dust collector.

9. In an apparatus of the class described including a. grain drier and cooler having grain passages and enclosed air chambers, in combination with a collector, means for passing heated air through said drier and to said collector, and means Jfor passing cooling air through said cooler and to said collector.

10. An apparatus of the class described.l comprising a grain drier and cooler having grain passages and air chambers, means for passing currents of heated air through said drier and currents of cool air through said cooler, and removing and preventing the accumulation of dust in said drier and said cooler.

ll. In a grain drier and cooler and in comb-ination with means for passing heated air through the drier and means for passing cooling air through the cooler, of a dust collector and means tor conducting the air that has passed through the drier and the air that has passed through the cooler to said dust collector.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th dav of February, 1924.

PHILIP LITTLE, JR. 

